Florist wins window competition

One of Ennis’s newest shops has been named winner of the 2010 Clare Champion and Clare FM window display competition.
Art of Floral Design, based on the town’s O’Connell Street, scooped €1,000 worth of advertising on Tuesday night for its widow display embracing the theme of The Magic of Christmas.
“We were particularly impressed with the effort that went into Art of Floral Design’s window display. The decorations used were all handmade and it showed great creativity and skill,” said John Galvin, managing director of The Clare Champion.
Cassidy’s Pharmacy won second place for their window display aimed at children and O’Connor’s Bakery secured third place for their decorations, which included a snowman made out of mini-meringues.
At a ceremony in The Old Ground Hotel, Cassidy’s were presented with advertising vouchers worth €600, while O’Connor’s Bakery won advertising worth €400.
“We were delighted to get involved in this competition with The Clare Champion because it illustrates the great community spirit among businesses here. It was also an opportunity for us to give something back to the community. The competition was very close but in these tough times it showed a tremendous effort on the part of businesses to put a smile onto people’s faces,” reflected Susan Murphy, general manager of Clare FM.
According to John Galvin, the standard of entries in this year’s competition was extremely high. “We left the theme of this year’s competition quite open so that people wouldn’t have to go to too much expense and even with tougher economic conditions this year, people made a huge effort and used their imagination. This really ensured an excellent standard.”
“This competition is particularly important in 2009 because it brings the community together in an effort to increase business. The window displays are a way to give something back to shoppers. They add to the Christmas atmosphere in towns and make it more attractive for people to shop there,” he concluded.